All I Ever Need Is You (The Sullivans #14)(37)

Now, Adam Sullivan lay sound asleep beside her in his huge bed, which had already been unmade when he’d first devoured her on it and was now little more than a tangle of sheets and limbs. The first rays of the sun were just beginning to illuminate the room, but mostly him, as if it were specifically seeking him out so that it could shine over him.

For the first time since she’d met him, Kerry was able to stare. To admire the strong lines of his cheekbones and jaw, the mouth that she found herself daydreaming about during meetings, his long dark lashes. She’d never imagined waking up in bed with a man like him, who could have walked straight out of a magazine or off the movie screen. More than that, she’d never dreamed that a man like him would want her the way he wanted her.

The passion between them was...

Honestly, she didn’t know how to begin processing it. And it was tempting, so very tempting, to not overthink what was happening between them. Just to keep letting it happen. Over and over and over and over again until every cell in her body was celebrating being alive and in Adam’s arms.

But she knew better.

She’d known all along that she needed to keep her guard up around him. Stupidly, she’d thought it would be easy. Easier, anyway, to keep one foot on the brake at all times and her eyes firmly on pleasure and nothing else.

Yes, last night had been pure pleasure, start to finish. There was no question at all about that. But it had been more than just pleasure. And she thought she knew why: Their other nights together had been planned meet-ups at hotels, but last night had not only been totally spontaneous, it had also been born of more than lust, more than desire.

Joy—pure, unfettered joy—had propelled her into Adam’s arms. All because he’d rediscovered her dream house and had promised to bring it back to its former glory with her.

It was that joy that scared her. Because while the sex was great, it was the happiness she felt with Adam that she knew she’d never be able to replace when their arrangement came to its inevitable end.

She was a fun change for him right now, utterly unlike the other women he’d been with—just as he was a total change for her. That was why it was so exciting. Such a rush that they’d both thrown caution to the wind for a night and ended up in his big, warm bedroom instead of staying in neutral hotel territory.

Adam’s imprint wasn’t only on the walls and ceilings and floors of the home he’d restored, it was also on every piece of furniture and book and framed painting. She couldn’t take a breath without breathing him in, too.

Where pleasure had swamped her all night long, morning now brought panic rushing in to replace it. She needed to get out of his bed, and fast—before she got to the point where she never wanted to get out of it at all.

Kerry had shifted less than an inch away from Adam when his arm came around her waist, and he tugged her so that she was lying across his chest. Chest to chest, she could feel his heart beating against hers. But it wasn’t his nakedness, or hers, that made hers beat faster.

It was the smile on his lips, and in his eyes, that stole her breath. And sent an even deeper terror racing through her. Because she liked his smile—loved his smile—so much that she realized she wanted it to be the first thing she saw when she woke up every morning for the rest of her life.

“Morning.”

“Good morning.”

She put everything she had into hiding her panic from him, but a frown had already begun to steal away his smile. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She made herself smile, hoping it reached her eyes the way his had. “I just need to get going to make it to my office on time.”

He continued to frown, but instead of pushing her, he simply said, “I’ll make you breakfast first.”

The words I’ll make you breakfast shouldn’t have her heart twisting up in her chest. She was being ridiculous. Melodramatic. Clearly, the endless hours of mind-blowing sex actually had blown out a whole host of her brain cells, and now she was functioning on less than a full set.

She’d let the house—and Adam’s amazing kisses—sweep her away yesterday. But in the clear light of a new day, his easy offer to make her breakfast told her without a shadow of a doubt that she hadn’t been nearly careful enough about not blurring the lines.

Not to mention the fact that it had felt way too much like they were making love last night when it should have been nothing more than naughty, wicked sex.

The last thing she wanted to do was move off his deliciously hard—and aroused—body. But she couldn’t stay here and keep having sex with him. Not when every kiss, every touch, would only drag her deeper into the danger zone.

She could feel him fighting with himself about letting go of her, but finally her feet were on the floor again, and she was holding a blanket in front of her, even though there was nothing he hadn’t seen by now.

Kerry meant to say, Thanks for offering to make breakfast, but I really do need to go, only somehow the words that actually came out were, “We can’t do this again.”

“What the hell?” He was out of bed and standing in front of her so fast she nearly stumbled, and he had to reach out to steady her. “You’re calling our arrangement quits?”

“No.” She couldn’t do that. Wasn’t strong enough to actually end what had become the most magical, wonderful thing that had ever happened to her. “Just this. Being here. At your house. Or at mine.”